Indiana’s Theresia Wynns to Join NFHS Staff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bruce Howard

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (December 8, 2011) — Theresia Wynns, assistant commissioner of the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) since 1997, has been named director of sports and officials education for the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

Wynns, who will complete the 2011-12 school year at the IHSAA, is expected to join the NFHS administrative staff in June. She fills the position previously held by Mary Struckhoff, who resigned in September after 12 years on the NFHS staff.

Wynns will serve as administrator for the sports of basketball and softball, and she will be director of the NFHS Officials Association and the NFHS Officials Education Program.

Basketball and officiating will be second nature to Wynns as she has served as IHSAA staff administrator for basketball and director of the IHSAA Officials Department for 14 years.

In addition to basketball, Wynns has been responsible for boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls tennis. She also oversees the IHSAA sportsmanship program and tournament merchandising.

At the NFHS, Wynns also will be responsible for the sport of softball along with basketball and the officials program.

“We are extremely pleased to add Theresia Wynns to the NFHS family of directors,” said Bob Gardner, NFHS executive director. “Theresia’s work in the Indiana High School Athletic Association provides great insight into the needs of our member state associations. She brings a wealth of experience in officiating and will be an asset to all officials as we build our officials’ education program. In addition, she will be an excellent liaison for the sports of basketball and softball.”

After graduating from South Carolina State University and serving a brief teaching stint at Easley Junior High School in South Carolina, Wynns joined the Indianapolis Public Schools in 1971 as a teacher and coach. She taught at two IPS schools during her 10 years with the state’s largest school system and also coached track and field, volleyball, kickball and cheerleading.

From 1981 until she joined the IHSAA in 1997, Wynns held a number of positions in the Warren Township Schools in Indianapolis. She was dean for student services at Warren Central High School for three years and assistant principal at Creston Middle School for three years before a 10-year run as principal of Creston Middle School.

A licensed official for 19 years, Wynns dedicated her early career to officiating basketball, swimming, volleyball, and track and field. She worked three state finals in volleyball and six state finals in girls basketball. Wynns officiated the IHSAA girls state basketball championship games in 1977, 1981 and 1986.

In recognition of her officiating prowess, Wynns was named Indiana’s outstanding girls basketball official in 1983 by the IHSAA and the NFHS Officials Association. In 2009, Wynns received the Silver Medal Award from the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and the NFHS Citation for Section 4.

Wynns has been involved with several NFHS committees during her 14 years with the IHSAA. She currently serves on the NFHS Citizenship/Equity Committee and the NFHS Officials Association Advisory Committee, and is a past member of the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee.

Wynns earned her master’s degree from Butler (Indiana) University in 1974 and an educational specialist degree in school management and administration from Indiana University in 1985.

Wynns and her husband, Joseph, have a daughter, Whitley, who graduated from Indiana University this past summer. Joseph Wynns formerly was director of Indy Parks and Recreation and currently heads a consulting firm focused on urban strategies.